Deandre Ayton news and highlights

Saberestar · Post #1561 » by **Saberestar** » Wed Sep 11, 2019 7:05 am

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darmani · Post #1562 » by **darmani** » Mon Sep 16, 2019 4:23 pm

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Saberestar · Post #1563 » by **Saberestar** » Tue Sep 24, 2019 9:38 pm

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I do not like that.

I think he is obssesed with the idea of him being a perimeter player. He plays a ton of hours on 2K and he is always an stretch PF there.

It is a shame because he could be a dominant two-way C, but I have doubts because of his mentality.

Djedefre · Post #1564 » by **Djedefre** » Tue Sep 24, 2019 9:49 pm

This is concerning. Seems like running away from responsibility.

Saberestar · Post #1565 » by **Saberestar** » Tue Sep 24, 2019 10:04 pm

Djedefre wrote:This is concerning. Seems like running away from responsibility.

Yeah.

I would be OK with him playing PF and on the perimeter IF he would have the skillset, but for now he does not know how to put the ball on the floor. I can not remember him putting the ball on the floor more than a couple of times during last season.

But well...who knows. He probably has improved his all-around game this summer and he can be a "game changer" playing more on the perimeter. We will see.

Post #1566 » by **bwgood77** » Tue Sep 24, 2019 11:27 pm

Saberestar wrote:

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

I do not like that.

I think he is obssesed with the idea of him being a perimeter player. He plays a ton of hours on 2K and he is always an stretch PF there.

It is a shame because he could be a dominant two-way C, but I have doubts because of his mentality.

It's kind of weird, because you have plenty of Cs shooting 3s now and playing stretch 5, but not many saying they want to play PF. I know a guy like Aldridge has said he'd rather play PF, but that is probably his more natural position. KG did too and that could have something to do with Ayton since he loved KG.

Duncan did it but I think that was in large part because he wanted to start in all star games and make 1st team all NBAs and there was Shaq (and Yao) in the west.

But these days most of the Cs don't seem to shy away from it.

He should be a C but obviously I'm most concerned with winning. If he can't anchor the D and protect the rim but can hit 3s and guard guys on the perimeter, and we could find a defensive stud in the middle, I wouldn't care much if it meant we were winning. But if that's what we wanted Jaren Jackson Jr might have been the better choice (though of course taking JJJr over Doncic would have been thought of as crazy too).

Post #1567 » by **lilfishi22** » Tue Sep 24, 2019 11:42 pm

Saberestar wrote:

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

I do not like that.

I think he is obssesed with the idea of him being a perimeter player. He plays a ton of hours on 2K and he is always an stretch PF there.

It is a shame because he could be a dominant two-way C, but I have doubts because of his mentality.

Sounds to me he's just not interested in having the responsibility of being a defensive anchor that usually comes with the team's C.

Post #1568 » by **lilfishi22** » Tue Sep 24, 2019 11:44 pm

Saberestar wrote:
Djedefre wrote:This is concerning. Seems like running away from responsibility.

Yeah.

I would be OK with him playing PF and on the perimeter IF he would have the skillset, but for now he does not know how to put the ball on the floor. I can not remember him putting the ball on the floor more than a couple of times during last season.

But well...who knows. He probably has improved his all-around game this summer and he can be a "game changer" playing more on the perimeter. We will see.

Because he can't. Mentioned this pre-draft that he doesn't have that in-between game and it's something he'll need to work on over time. I certainly hope to see him with an improves handle this season

Post #1569 » by **lilfishi22** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 12:56 am

Can I be the first to say I don't like the idea of him focusing on stretching out his offense to the 3PT line right now. I'm just not sure how much that would add to his offense or team offense. Do we NEED Ayton to be shooting 3's this season for us to improve? I think the priority for him is still defense and ball handling.

Slim Charless · Post #1570 » by **Slim Charless** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 3:33 am

lilfishi22 wrote:
Saberestar wrote:
Djedefre wrote:This is concerning. Seems like running away from responsibility.

Yeah.

I would be OK with him playing PF and on the perimeter IF he would have the skillset, but for now he does not know how to put the ball on the floor. I can not remember him putting the ball on the floor more than a couple of times during last season.

But well...who knows. He probably has improved his all-around game this summer and he can be a "game changer" playing more on the perimeter. We will see.

Because he can't. Mentioned this pre-draft that he doesn't have that in-between game and it's something he'll need to work on over time. I certainly hope to see him with an improves handle this season

I agree with this but the problem is that's the way that the game is played now. I remember reading on this forum about how he needs to extend his range. I hate that we have bigs out there taking 3s and would like him to be David Robinson 2.0 personally.

In2ition · Post #1571 » by **In2ition** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 4:11 am

You hav ed to keep opposing centers honest and pull them away from the basket. It doesn't mean he does it all the time, just that he needs to be proficient enough to make them guard him.

Crives · Post #1572 » by **Crives** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 4:14 am

lilfishi22 wrote:Can I be the first to say I don't like the idea of him focusing on stretching out his offense to the 3PT line right now. I'm just not sure how much that would add to his offense or team offense. Do we NEED Ayton to be shooting 3's this season for us to improve? I think the priority for him is still defense and ball handling.

True.. but pick and roll defense is probably one of the harder things to work on in the offseason.

Damkac · Post #1573 » by **Damkac** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 7:21 am

Grow balls Ayton, you are C.
But improving his perimeter game wouldn't hurt. Outspeed heavy centers, outmuscle light ones.
Improving the defense is priority of course.

Post #1574 » by **bwgood77** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 12:57 pm

1. Defensive awareness, covering for teammates, rotating back for help D, making sure to protect rim. Be aggressive.
2. Offensive aggressiveness....set hard screens. Use your body, be aggressive...dunk on anyone.
3. Stretch shooting range to open up floor for offensive players to get to rim without crowded paint and make yourself more of an extra weapon.

Although #3 would make him much more valuable and help our offense in a big way (not just what he provides, but make things easier for others to get to rim for easy buckets), #1 should be the primary focus until that is solved, and then #2 should still be higher priority to #1. Other Cs and players should hesitate around him, not feel like he is soft.

Walt_Uoob · Post #1575 » by **Walt_Uoob** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 1:45 pm

He's always seemed more like a PF to me. Likes to guard the perimeter and switch onto smaller players when needed, and is pretty good at it. Still definitely want him posting up more than facing up, and working on his screens and aggressiveness rolling to the basket, but he can still do that alongside a stretch 5 like Baynes, no?

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Fo-Real · Post #1576 » by **Fo-Real** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 3:04 pm

Some here were hoping for a quasi Anthony Davis clone, well to be that he needs to be able to be both Pf and C, especially now that we have ACTUAL OTHER legit NBA bigs on the roster in Baynes, Saric, Diallo and Frank the Tank who can allow him to freelance more. Let Ayton become more dynamic if he is able to.

GoodBehavior · Post #1577 » by **GoodBehavior** » Wed Sep 25, 2019 3:04 pm

Complete overreaction to a minor story.

a. Kellan, who broke the news, believes it will be on a limited basis. Ayton also heard about it too, so it sounded like new news to him. There's no plan for him to play the 4 except perhaps for limited minutes or match up scenario.

b. He didn't say anything about moving to the 4, he just said big men needs to adapt to the changing NBA. Guys bringing up the ball and being able to stretch the floor. The best centers in the league is trying to improve their 3 ball. Ayton's game is developing into a hybrid of Jokic and AD. I am fine with that.

c. LMA and AD are established players, who have been VERY open in their desire to not play the 5. Guess, what position the coach put them in? Players have limited say in what position they can play. If Ayton reaches AD's status level (top 5 player in the league) and can DICTATE what position he will play, that is a damn good problem to have for Suns fan.

Saberestar · Post #1578 » by **Saberestar** » Fri Sep 27, 2019 11:40 pm

"Coach Monty himself told me we need threes this year out of everyone, including me,” Ayton told me at Champs on Thursday. He said the coaches have him taking threes in spot-up situations, trailing on the break and pick-and-pop with a point guard.

“They let me work on them, so I know I’ll shoot them in the game,” he said with earnest. “The game is different now to where I have to shoot that three.”

“You have to. Inside-out, regardless,” he said of still spending most of his time in the paint. “Regardless of what it is, inside-out.”

On his comments the other day about being a power forward that caught a lot of folks off guard, Ayton said it’s been a source of humor on the practice court.

“I tried to tease [coaches Monty Williams and Mark Bryant] today about playing the four,” he said with a laugh. “They didn’t give me no answer though.”

When he does play the four, it would be next to new backup center Aron Baynes who Ayton calls “a beast.” All the players are in town now, Ayton says, ready for training camp to start with a new sense of purpose.

"The team is contagious with working,” Ayton said of his teammates. “If you’re not working hard, you’re going to be the odd number. You’re not getting exposed on purpose, its just you don’t fit right with everybody. They’re just doing what they have to do.”

He’s got a good feeling about coach Monty Williams.

“I’d say he’s a man of wisdom,” Ayton said, with a sudden bit of reverence in his tone. “He gave me some wisdom already about this game. About how to approach the game, be a professional. His leadership is beyond what all of us think it is. He’s taking his time with me and it’s helping me.”

https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2019/9/27/20886765/exclusive-phoenix-suns-center-deandre-ayton-puma-colorway

ImNotMcDiSwear · Post #1579 » by **ImNotMcDiSwear** » Sat Sep 28, 2019 6:42 pm

Been thinking about Ayton's comments re offseason focus a lot the last several days. My concerns with him after watching his performance in SL last season was conditioning. And there were many times during the season I thought his lack of conditioning was on display. I wondered if a big reason he failed to go up for blocks very frequently was his lack of stamina. He seemed too often to be jogging up the court. His most impressive physical attribute may be just how light he is on his feet for a guy his size. He shows flashes of quickness and physical intensity, but I don't think he did a great job sustaining high energy throughout the season.

If he can play with more energy on a more consistent basis, then his other stated focuses - shooting and ball-handling - make more sense. Especially ball handling. A big problem he had last season was his inability to attack off the dribble, a la Amare. And for a guy with his kind of explosiveness, the ability to create his own space going to the basket will be invaluable.

And this talk about the 4..... a lot of people have said that the center position is dead in the NBA with the increasing usage of stretch bigs. I don't know if Ayton will for more than 1% of his career PT be the second-biggest player on the court. Perhaps it makes sense to think of Ayton as a center-sized stretch 4, or a big small-ball center, or something like that.

I just think we need to see Ayton being a lot more active and energetic this season. Perhaps all the investments we've made in bigs this season with Baynes, Kaminsky and Diallo is to ensure that Deandre can get plenty of rest this season, so he can give closer to 100% at all times. I'm hopeful!

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3toheadmelo · Post #1580 » by **3toheadmelo** » Sat Sep 28, 2019 7:40 pm

Big Ayton fan here. He looks like he shed a lot of baby fat. Looking good.

I saw this from another article. He seems like he really wants to dominate this season. I'm really excited to watch him this season, especially playing with a point guard like Rubio. I think you guys are gonna be a solid team this season. Cheers

What can the NBA expect from Deandre Ayton in year two?

Improvement. I’ve been in the lab. I can say this, I’ve never been in the gym so much my whole life.

What’s the most notable improvement you’ve made to your game?

Definitely the 3-ball. I’ve worked on it a lot, as well as bringing the ball up and handling the ball around the perimeter. I’m just really trying to take over every possession. Overall, being more dominant every game.